Association of Gospel Rescue Missions Names New Board Members

Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dec. 29, 2011) — The Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM) announced the appointment of five new members to its board of directors, all with terms starting January 1, 2012. Three of the board members are district representatives (rescue mission leaders elected by AGRM individual members in their respective geographic territories). One is an at-large member (a rescue mission leader elected by AGRM members throughout North America). The last is a board-elected member (an individual from outside of the association, selected by the existing board to bring perspective beyond AGRM). The existing board also selected Denver Rescue Mission President Brad Meuli to chair the board for a one-year term.

“AGRM has been blessed with excellent board members for the entire time that I have been with the association,” said President John Ashmen, “and this new class fits into the same top-notch category. They are a diverse, forward-thinking group that believes totally in our mission and vision. This is so vital,” Ashmen continued, “because the adage as goes the board, so goes the organization is so very true.”

Rich Trickel, Mideast District Representative: Rich is CEO of the City Mission in Cleveland, Ohio, where he has lead for the past seven years. Rich served eight years at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission. He is an active AGRM member, and has taught seminars at both the national conference and district meetings. Rich holds a diploma in Bible and missions, a bachelor’s degree in communications, and a master’s degree in administrative leadership from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Donovan Coley, Midwest District Representative: Donovan became CEO of the Fort Wayne Rescue Mission Ministries in Fort Wayne, Indiana, after serving on the board for two years. A native of Kingston, Jamaica, and a naturalized U.S. citizen, Donovan graduated from Fort Wayne Bible College and earned a master’s degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He also did post-graduate studies at Concordia Theological Seminary (Ill.).

Burt Rosen, Southern District Representative: Burt has served as the president/CEO of Knox Area Rescue Ministries, Inc. in Knoxville, Tennessee, since 2003. Previous to this, Burt was with Chuck Colson and Prison Fellowship Ministries for 17 years, where he held various positions. In 1998 he was awarded a National Leadership Award. Burt and his wife never saw themselves working with the homeless, but when their oldest son became homeless and disappeared, their hearts were broken for those in similar situations.

Bruce Reith, At-Large Member: Bruce has been the executive director of Hope Mission in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada since 1985. His visionary leadership has taken Hope Mission from a single-service ministry with a handful of employees to a comprehensive social-care agency with more than 200 employees and 1,600 volunteers. Bruce is a member of the Edmonton Committee to End Homelessness, a community-based approach that aims to end homelessness in Edmonton in 10 years.

Dr. Janet Furness, Board-Elected Member: Janet is associate dean, professor of social work, and chair of the school of social work at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. Previously she was the director of the Master of Social Work program at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York. Her father, the late Charles Y. Furness, is a legend in rescue mission ministry. He was the director of Goodwill Rescue Mission in Newark, New Jersey, and later headed the department of social work at Philadelphia Biblical University (Pa.).

Brad Meuli, Board Chair: Brad was named president of Denver Rescue Mission in Denver, Colorado, in January 2001. Brad has served as Vice Chairman of the Board of AGRM since 2008 and also chairs the board of the City Mission World Association, an international fellowship of rescue mission leaders. He is adjunct faculty at the Denver Seminary, and has served as chaplain to the Colorado House of Representatives for the last eight years. Brad is a pastor of ministry in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and a graduate of Northern Arizona University and Denver Seminary. Colorado Christian University honored Brad with an honorary doctorate for his work with the homeless.

The five new members will be part of a team of fifteen members that oversees AGRM’s finances, policies and practices, and strategic planning.Founded in 1913, the Colorado Springs-based AGRM is North America's oldest and largest network of independent crisis shelters and rehabilitation centers, offering radical hospitality in the name of Jesus. With approximately 275 member missions, AGRM exists to proclaim the passion of Jesus toward the hungry, homeless, abused, and addicted; and to accelerate quality and effectiveness in member missions. For more information, visit www.agrm.org, or call (719) 266-8300.